Bomb-throwing machine



W. BUTLER.

BOMB THROWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED Aus.24, 1918.

Patented June 22, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

IW. BUTLER. BOMB THROWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION man AuG.24. 191s.

Patented June 22, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

i zen of the United State UNITED sTATEs WARD BUTLER, or CHICAGO, iLLiNoIs.

BoMB-THnowING MACHINE.

Specification of Lettersklatent. i Patented June 272, 1920".

Application led August 24, 1918. Serial No. 251,227.

T0 all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, WARD BUTLER, a citis residing in Chi.- cago, in the county ofdoolr and State of Illinois, have inventeda new and useful Improvement in Bomb-.Throwing Machines, of

which the following is a specification.

This invention relates in general to throwing machines and has more particular reference toa throwing machine provided for use in trench warfarek for the throwing of hand grenades, bombs and the'like.

The invention has forl its principal object the provision of a simple, accurate andeffective throwingmachine adapted forthe purpose above specified. The purpose of the invention is therefore to provide. a throwing machine of compact form, the parts of which will be so constructed and arranged thatl the throwing of the missile may be accomplished with themachine and its operatorslocated beneath the top of the trench and so without exposing the operators or machines to the. fire of the enemy.

A further and highly importantobject of the invention is the provision of sucha machine which will not require substantial enlargement or deepening lof the trenches for its use and which can be operated without requiring the provision of a specially constructed base or support. f

Another highly important object of the invention is the provision of a machine of this character, whichmay be operated'by a single man and which will be readily `and accurately controllable as to elevation and distances. n f K n Another object of the invention is the' provision of a machine of this character so constructed that it may be collapsed and thus require little space in storing. and transit and also capable of being easily moved about when inl fully extended or op'-l erative condition, and this by nol more than two men and`in` emergency by a single man. Another and extremelyimportant object of the inventionis theprovision of a throwing machine of' the rcharacter and 4for the purpose mentioned, which may be ofL such simple and cheap construction that it may be provided in `great quantities at low cost.

A still further object is'the provision of such a construction which may be rendered ino viera'tive by the removal of a small part which is notl readily replaceable.

Numerous other objects and advantages ofthe invention will be apparent as itis better understood from they following description i when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing illustrating a preferred embodiment thereof.

On the drawing, r Figure 1 is a side elevation of a throwing machine embodying my present invention showing the parts arranged in normal position; n 1 f Fig. 2 is a similar View showing the ar-` rangement of the parts after throwing;

Fig. 3 is a ytop .plan view of the same showing the parts as arranged in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a back elevation ofthe same;

Fig. -5 is an enlarged detail view shown partially in section and illustrating the construction of the kdrums and the connections tothem of the throwing arm;

Fig. 6 is a partialenlarged sectional view taken along the shaft ofthe throwing arm; Figs. 7 and 8 are respectively side and front elevations .of the crank and latch mechanism provided for storing power in the throwing springs; and

Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail section taken f substantially on the line 9-9 of Fig. 1.

p Forthe purpose of illustrating my invention, I have shown on the drawings anangle iron frame work of skeleton form. This frame is made collapsible and consists of a skeleton framework of boXlike form. Each side rectangular part consists of a base composed of bottom-members 11 and 13' hinged together at 12. The bottom member 11-is` bers 17 and 18 and similarlyconnected by i thumb nut 23. vAt the front theside member 16 is pivotally connected atf24 with the member .21'. At each side also a' crossb'racing strut of angle iron 25k-is rigidly connected with the'member18 atV- the topand the member 13 at the bottom. The members.

10 and 13 'are rigidly kconnected together andan angle iron l26 extends acrossfto rig# idly connect theftwo sides of `the frame together at 'the front.

A plate 27 connects the two members 16 rigidly together and the members 17 are connected by the hinge 15. The members 1S and 22 are rigidly connected together by` bearings 29 for a throwing shaft 31. The frame may be collapsed and the working parts inclosed by removing the thumb nuts 19 and 23 folding in the members 17.and 21 upon the members 11 and 16 and then folding these members upon `the struts 25 bringing the entire frame and the parts carried by it to compact arrangement.

Upon the shaft 31 is mounted a throwing arm 32 carrying at its free end a throwing cup or grenade receiving pocket This arm in the present instance is connected, as will be seen in Fig. 5, to the shaft 31 through the medium of two drums 34 which are fixedL upon the shaft by swaging or other suitable connection. Each drum 34 consists of a pair of disks 35 connectedfby rivets 3G, the disks being spaced apart by rollers or sleeves 37 one upon each rivet. Two angle irons 38 are extended between the drums and engage fasteners 39 for holding `the throwing arm in place. A flexible member or chain 41 is disposed over each drum and held against slipping thereon by a pin 42 disposed through the two plates 35 of the drinn and through the chain. lne end 43 of the chain is connected to a throwing motor or spring 44 which in turn is connected at its other end with a pulley 45. A chain 46 connected at 47 with the appropriate member 13 takes over pulley 45 under a pulley 48 carried upon the member 26 and up over a winding drum 49.

The swinging arm when in normal position, as shown in Fig. 1, is disposed with the cup resting upon a latch support which is in form of a platform 51 on a pivot shaft 50 and held up by latches'52which have tails 53 connected by linlis-54`to arms 55 upon a shaft 5G pivoted in the member 1G, one or both of the arms 55 providing a release handle. Fig. 1 shows thearrangement of the parts in this normal position and the arrangement of the spring 44 before the tension is placed in it. This tension is provided by winding up the chains 46 on the drum 49. This drum is fixed upon a shaft 61 which is rotatable in suitable bearings 62 in the front of the frame. Shaft 61 has fast upon it at one end a-ratchet wheel 63 and loose upon it a'crank arm 64. i This crank arm carries a pawl 65 slidably mounted inbearing lugs 66` and pressed by a spring 67 toward the ratchet wheel. VThe outer end 68 of the pawl 65 is bent over to form a finger piece for releasing the pawl and this extends through a slot S9 of the crank 64 in the `present instance.

A locking detent 71 pivoted at 72 on the frame is pulled byla spring 73. into engage` ment with the ratchet wheel: Vllhen the parts are arranged as shown 1n Fig. 1 the crank arm 64 is given two or three turns in a clockwise direction, pulling down upon the end of the spring 44, elongating it and storing up the throwing power. AfterY this power is stored up the latch support holding up the throwing arm is tripped and the arm swings downwardly and out at the rear and then forwardly and upwardly in a throwing movement, which movement in the present instance is considerably over 1800. The missile is caused to leave the throwing arm by theengagement of a cross bar 74 carried by arms 75 of levers consisting of these arms and of longer arms-7G and: pivoted upon the shaft 31.` Motor springs 77 are attached at 78 on the arms 76 and at 79 on the frame members 21, which springs tend to move the bar 74 in a counterclockwise direction. This movement is `limited by chains or other flexible members 81 secured at 82 to the lower ends of the arms 7G` and taking around pulleys 833 on the frame.` The other ends of the chains or flexible members S1 are`connected to an adjustable `slide `member 84 (Fig. 9) having oppositely extending fingers or pins 85 which take into holes 86 in the base members 11, the adjustment of this block determining the point of engagement between the bar 74 and the swinging arm for the purpose of accurately adjusting the point of discharge of the missile. .After engagenient by the bar 74 with the throwingl arm the force ofthe spring 77 immediately produces aslowing movement of the throwing arm causing the missile to leave it with its acquired momentum. i Y

It will be manifest that adjustment of the block 84 provides for the determination of` the elevation given to the missile at its time of discharge, and the amount of winding given the sleeve or drum 49 determines the amount of momentum or the distance that the missile will travel at any particular elevation. Moreover the elevationo-r the force can be independently altered so that any combination of distances 'and height within the range of the machine is attainable.

In order to enable the operator to accurately repeat a shot or to alter the shot a predetermined amount, 1 provide a scale 91 upon thefstrut 25 and the lower end of the spring 44 is brought-*opposite Va desired graduation upon successive actions or beyond a graduation previously selected a predetermined amount for correction of distance.

Return springs 92 are fixed at93 to the frame members 12 and also to the ends 94 of the chains 41 beyond the drums 34. The springs 92 are materially weaker than fthe springs 44 and when the throwing arm is released and the drums 84 rotated in a clock tract moving the arm back' in a counterclockwise direction to reloading or normal position. Release of the sleeve 49 is accomplished by a pull upon the finger piece 68 of n the pawl 65. This pawl carries with it an offset L-shapcd finger member 95 engageable behind a pin 90 on the detent 71 when the finger piece 68 is pulled down so that this detent as well as the pawl itself is withdrawn upon manipulation of the finger 68.

If the pin 42 or the throwing arm be removed, and either of these parts may be easily arranged for ready removal, the de-v vice is inoperative, and this manipulation may be resorted to if abandonment of the machine becomes necessary.

I have found thatan apparatus'embodying my invention can be easily loaded and discharged at the rate of 60 or more a minute and it will be manifest that it is light and durable and can easily be carried about either collapsed vand in large numbers or extended and singly by the operators. The strut 25 lying close and parallel to the application of the throwing force is all thereinforcement necessary and thek location of the bearings 29 is such that they take up the severe throwing strain along the lines of the frame best calculated to resist these strains.

The space required for the machine in the trench need not be more than six feet in width and of any ordinary trench depth. A couple of boards is all that is necessary to form a base in muddy ground and even these are unnecessary where the ground is solid.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages willv be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the

form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim: c 1. A throwing machine, comprising a throwing arm, a return motor and a throwing motor, sald throwing motor propelllng the throwing arm in throwing and storing the power in the return motor for returning said throwing arm to normal position.

2. In a throwing machine, the combination of a throwing arm, a drum rotatable with said throwing arm, a flexible member taking over said arm, return, and throwing motors engaging the ends of said iexible member.

3. A throwing machine, comprising in combination a throwing arm, a throwing spring, a return spring, and a control, the return spring being controlled by said control through the throwing spring.

4. A' throwing machine, comprising in combination a throwing arm, a flexible member for moving said arm yabout its axis in throwing, a throwing spring connected to one end of said flexible member, a return spring connected to the other end, and a control for elongating said spring andholding its advanced end during throwing and releasing the return spring for moving said arm andy said throwing spring back to nor-k mal positions when said control is released. 5. A throwing machlne, comprlsing a throwing arm, a throwing spring adjustable as to tension prior to throwmg, and a distance scale for determining the extension of said pring. c e

6. throwing machine, comprising in combination a throwing arm, a latch support for holding said throwing arm in normal position, a throwing spring, a return spring moving said throwing arm after throwing into position forv engagement byv the latch support, and means for providing tension in said throwing spring after said. throwing arm is engaged in said latch supa port.

WARD BUTLER, 

